Good Enough
by sinemoras09
Summary: AU version of Six Months Ago. Eden never was brought in by The Company, she's in a relationship with Gabriel Gray. Eden X Gabriel.


It was raining outside, but Eden left the windows open anyway. The air conditioning unit in her apartment was broken, and the heat was getting unbearable. She could hear the sounds of sirens outside and she lingered for a moment, watching the rain falling on the pavement. Gabriel was too excited to notice.

"He says I'm special. That I could have one of these powers," he said. "Look at this. Telekinesis. The ability to heal. It's incredible," he said.

Eden took the book from his hands and thumbed through the chapters. So there _were_ others like her, this book proved it. But she looked at Gabriel and her heart sank. She knew he didn't have an ability—if he did, he would have known it by now—but he was so excited, she couldn't convince him otherwise. She desperately wanted to use her voice on him, but she bit her lip instead. This was the only honest relationship she had, and if it was going to stay that way, she couldn't interfere.

"Are you sure?" she asked, carefully. "This sounds kind of out there."

"He's a world-renowned geneticist. Of course I'm sure," he said.

Eden frowned. At least she would be there to pick up the pieces.

  


Eden wanted to tell Gabriel about her voice, but she never found the right moment to tell him. (Actually, there were _a lot_ of things she wanted to tell him, but for one reason or another she postponed bringing them up. He understood that she had a Past, and he was fine not knowing all the details. The only thing she told him was that her real name was "Sarah," but she preferred him not to call her that.) Besides, she hadn't used her ability in months—she didn't have to. She had a real job, she didn't have to hook for money anymore; she had her own apartment, she didn't bounce from place to place, sleeping on people's couches. She stopped smoking and stopped drinking and avoided the places she knew she could score. She was normal, completely normal, and it was all thanks to him. He didn't know that, though, and that's what made her sad.

She heard the door unlock, then heard it thud. She had given him her spare key a few weeks ago but she kept forgetting to unchain the door.

"Sorry," she said, and opened the door. She saw his face. "What's wrong?" she asked. She let him in.

"He couldn't find anything," he said.

"What about tomorrow? I thought you were getting a CT scan," she said.

"It's a waste of time," he said. "There was nothing on the MRI, nothing on the EEG. You should have seen the way he looked at me. I begged him for another chance, but he wouldn't listen. He has this, this _list_ of people he's going to interview, and he couldn't get me out of there fast enough."

"Maybe he didn't find anything because there's nothing there to find," Eden said. "I mean, his theory is kind of out there. Maybe he's wrong."

He shook his head. "He's a brilliant man, and his research is sound," he said. "He didn't find anything because I'm _normal_."

Eden sat down next to him, and rubbed his arm.

"You should have heard him," he said. "He was like, 'There are other opportunities I need to focus on,' and he was so...dismissive. Like he was using me, but I wasn't good enough. Just a waste of his time."

"He shouldn't have said that," she said.

"You're right, he should have found a more tactful way of saying I was completely worthless," he said, bitterly.

"You're not worthless," she said, and she silently railed at the man who completely undid all her efforts at reassuring him. "Gabe, c'mon. _Telekinesis_? Nobody can move things with their mind. That's crazy."

"But it's all in his book," he said.

"Anybody could write a book--Christ, _I_ could write a book. If he were really that good he'd be publishing articles in a scientific journal, not…" she picked the book up. "Mubai Press."

"Darwin wrote a book. People thought he was crazy, too," he said.

"Why are you defending him?" Eden asked. "A moment ago you were pissed off because he couldn't use you for his research, now you're standing here singing his praises."

"I'm not singing his praises, you're just being ignorant," he said.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, look at you. You don't know anything about genetics! Who are you to judge his research?" he asked.

"Oh, and what? Because you read his book, you're an expert now?" she asked. "Gabe, you're a _watchmaker_. These guys have PhDs. You're not in any position to judge the quality of his research."

"But I can understand the way things work," he said. "His theories make sense. Even if you don't understand them _I_ know they're true."

"If you're so great at 'understanding' things, why are you still a watchmaker?" she asked. "Why aren't you in some lab doing genetics research? Tell me that!"

Gabriel threw his hands up. "I can't talk to you right now," he said, and he started toward the door.

"Where are you going?" she asked. She followed after him.

"To the shop. I can't be here right now," he said.

"Gabe, wait—"

"Jesus, Eden! Can't you give me a little _space_?" he asked. "I'm having a really fucking bad day right now, and if you keep after me I just might say some things I might regret."

"Fine, go play with your watches--maybe they'll help you with your self-esteem!" she said.

"Eden—"

"I am so _sick_ of you feeling sorry for yourself!" she said. "There's nothing wrong with you! Why can't you just be happy, for once?"

"Maybe because I know I can do _better_," he said, and he gave her a pointed stare. "Maybe because I know what I have now isn't _good enough._"

Eden choked. His words were directed at _her_.

Her mind started spinning. She thought they were happy. She thought she found someone who _wanted_ to be with her, someone who didn't need persuasion to love her back. But she was wrong, she should have used her voice. She should have fucking used her voice in the first place.

He turned to leave.

"Gabe, wait," she said.

He threw on his coat.

"Gabe, Gabe please—"

He started down the hallway.

"You can't do that!" she said. "You can't just say shit like that and leave! Listen to me!" She grabbed his arm. " _Listen_ to me!"

"What don't you understand? I don't want to _talk_ to you anymore!" he said. "You're always there. Every time I turn around, you're there! I can't move, or think, or do anything else without you following me like a _fucking_ shadow!"

Eden started to cry. "Gabe..."

He ignored her and slammed the door.

Eden sank onto the couch. It was starting to rain again, the streetlights and the water making shadowed streaks on the wall. Eden pressed the heel of her hand to her eyes and sobbed, the sound of her voice being swallowed up by the storm.


End file.
